Hot (spicy) food and cold foods that can cool you down

Refreshing ice cold mint and cucumber water

Cool as a cucumber – it’s true. The water content in cucumber helps to hydrate the body. Ice cold cucumber water will not only bring your temperature down, but ensure a healthy complexion as well. Staying hydrated with cucumber water will help your body to flush out toxins.

All kinds of melons

Cooling melons of all kinds are abundant in summer. They have a high water content which helps to keep you hydrated in hot weather. The higher the water content in a food, the more likely that it will keep your temperature down. Watermelon is full of water, which slows down digestion taking less energy from the body. Try this refreshing salad with ice cold watermelon, crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh mint or basil leaves, dressed with olive oil and lime juice.

Hot chilli will cool you down

Odd as this may sound – chillies actually cool us down through evaporative cooling by enhancing circulation and causing us to perspire. How about some Mexican salsa made with chopped tomato, green bell pepper, onion, chilli and fresh coriander mixed with crushed garlic and sprinkled with lime juice and some good salt.

Ice cold salted lemonade

Lemon has many health benefits, but it is widely consumed in summer because it keeps the body cool. Make some salted lemonade with ice cold water and fresh lemon juice adding sugar and Himalayan rock salt to taste. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved.

Super healthy salads with leafy greens

Leafy greens are composed of 80 to 95 percent water which makes them easy to digest creating a cooling sensation in the body. This simple salad of leafy greens, radishes and goats’ cheese is delicious, healthy and refreshing. Dress with olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chilled berries of every kind

Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and cranberries are all alkaline, yin fruits. They generate a cold energy in the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine.

A tall glass of ice cold water

It might seem obvious, but water really is your best friend when the temperature rises, so do make sure that you drink a lot of it to make up for fluids lost through extra perspiration. Drink filtered water from a glass instead of a plastic bottle to avoid more plastic pollution.

Ice cream and ice cold beer won’t cool you down

In spite of you craving that ice cream or ice cold beer, they will actually make you feel more hot and bothered. That’s why you crave ice cream in winter. Foods that contain more fat, protein and complex carbohydrates heat the body up while digesting that food. The temperature difference of cold foods have an initial cooling effect, but when your body starts digesting the food or drink, your body temperature rises as your body produces energy to digest what you have eaten or drunk. Alcohol causes dehydration and flushing due to the widening of blood vessels. This can make you feel hot.